Eight Ways to Help Separation Anxiety in Cats

Do you come home to a shredded couch and a frazzled cat? Are you at wit's end when you return to find that your cat has torn up your house while you're gone? Your cat may be suffering from separation anxiety. If your cat is particularly clingy, she may be missing you when you're gone and in her anxiety has taken it out on your possessions.

Understanding the Anxiety

Separation anxiety occurs when you're not at home. Your cat becomes anxious and upset that you're gone and takes out the anxiety in ways she only knows how, that is, relieving the stress through scratching, chewing, marking with urine and other destructive activities. While you know you're going to be coming back soon, your cat doesn't and the anxiety builds up to a point where she must act on it. Punishing your cat for acting out because of separation anxiety does very little to correct the problem -- and may actually cause it to worsen as your cat may become more anxious because she knows she's going to get punished when you get home. She won't relate the punishment to her actions -- all she knows is that she's going to get punished.

Luckily, there are ways to calm your frightened kitty. Here's how:

1. Use calming pheromones. Feliway^TMhas made pheromone dispensers that are synthetic calming pheromones like those in a cat's cheek. These pheromones send signals to the cat's brain telling her "all is well, you can relax." These pheromones are so effective that they've been proven in studies to reduce spraying in 91% of cats. Feliway comes in a spray and an unscented (to humans) diffuser that fills the area with calming pheromones.

2. Leave a shirt with your scent on it. You might not appreciate your dirty laundry, but your cat will. A shirt with your scent on it placed in your cat's bed or favorite spot will help ease the loneliness. Be sure it's a shirt you don't mind having holes in.

3. Teach your cat you are coming back. Part of the separation anxiety is that your cat doesn't know when you're coming back. Spend a weekend leaving and coming back inside constantly. Only leave for a few minutes and come back inside. Your cat will see that you're coming back and when your cat gets used to the comings and goings, you can slowly increase the time.

4. Don't make a big deal out of leaving or returning. If you make a big production out of leaving and returning that will add to your cat's anxiety. Make it quiet and positive.

5. Give your cat a treat ball or favorite toy. Get a mini puzzle ball and stuff it with treats your cat would enjoy. Or, if your cat isn't into puzzles, try giving a favorite toy stuffed with catnip.

6. Play with your cat before you leave. If your cat is tired and ready for a snooze, she won't be thinking about anxiety -- she'll be thinking about a nap.

7. Trim your cat's claws and give her a scratcher in the places where she's been destructive. You can use Sticky Paws^TM to keep her from clawing the couch and put a scratcher up beside the areas she's been scratching. The Sticky Paws^TM will keep her from scratching the undesirable object and she'll use the more accessible scratcher.

8. Get your cat a buddy. If your cat is lonely, another cat might be the right solution.

Note: If your cat still shows symptoms of separation anxiety, you may wish to consult a veterinarian. Sometimes what appears to be a behavioral problem is actually biological. Tell your veterinarian the symptoms and have your veterinarian examine your cat. If your cat is cleared, health-wise, you may wish to consult a feline behaviorist for more help.

Reference

Margaret H. Bonham, The Cat Owner's Problem Solver, 2009.